Starr revolvers?

[Model12Win]

Hello everyone, I am wondering about the Starr 1858 and Starr 1863 replica revolvers made by Pietta. The Starr revolver of 1858 was double action, and a number were sold to the army. However, the Army wanted a simpler single action affair and the 1863 single action Starr was the result.



Pietta makes both these guns, both in .44 caliber (percussion). I am wondering if anyone out there has any experience with these firearms, both positive and/or negative. I am having trouble deciding which model to pick as well. I think it's neat how the 1858 Starr is double action, but I love single actions as well and the 1863 Starr is tempting too!

What do you all have to say about these guns? I don't hear much about them and am just looking for some guidance before I buy one, if I do.

Thanks!

[Bishop Creek]

My brother has a single action Starr and I have fired it several times. Fun to shoot, but the timing was a little bit off. I have read that the (but have no experience with) double actions are a bit of trouble.

[Model12Win]

Yeah same here Creek, I've read quite a few negative things on the double action model. I think I'll stick to the single action one if I decide to get a Starr.

[Bishop Creek]

I remember in the early days of the internet (1990s) when you could still find original unfired Starr revolvers for fairly decent prices. I think Bannerman's (spelling?) sold them for dirt cheap back in the early 1900s.

[Model12Win]

Wow, that's very interesting! I see some original Starrs go for not much over $1000 and slightly below in some cases for examples in decent shape. I'd rather own a replica as I intend to shoot it often and don't have that much money to spend.

[mykeal]

I wrote this post on another forum, so you may see it more than once.

Two points:

1) I own a PIetta Starr SA. In a word, it's a POS. Well, ok, that's 3 words.

The gun is unwieldy at best - the bore centerline is high relative to the grip making follow through difficult. It's difficult to point if you're used to the Colt grips. The gun is a top break design, secured by a large screw at the joint; the joint does not fit well and the screw if very difficult to start and secure. This is without a doubt my least favorite gun; it rarely gets taken to the range.

2) Percussion Revolvers, A Guide To Their History, Performance and Use, by Mike Cumpston and Johnny Bates. The best book about c&b revolvers I've ever read. Chapter 15: Treason With A Hair Trigger - The Starr Revolver will tell you all you need to know. His review is accurate and not favorable.

[Model12Win]

Thanks! I just tried to order a single action Starr form Dixie gun works... they were out of stock, so a I tried to order the double action version and it was out of stock to. I guess there will be no more Starr revolver replicas made... for better or worse. I have Mike Cumpston's book. I'll have to give the Starr part a read again.

Alas, now I need to find another percussion revolver to buy! How about a Paterson?

[Hellgate]

From what I understand the double action Starr did not reveal the sights until the last split second before the hammer drops. i.e. you can't see the sights until the hammer is drawn back out of the way and if firing DA you can't see them but for a split second as you shoot it. I've never handled one so I may not be correct but that is what I recall reading.

[Model12Win]

Yeah! Well I sort of still want a single action Starr from Pietta... I can't find any sources for them though since they've been discontinued... this saddens me!

[Smoke & Recoil]

Did you check with Cabelas ?, I bought mine from them near ten years ago.
Starr SA and I also have an original 1863 from the Civil War...I like both but
the parts DO NOT interchange.

[mec]

Not sure about the Pietta Replicas but rumors are that the single action, unlike the double action might have actually worked. One officer said that whoever foisted the double action Starr off on a nation at war should have been hanged as a traitor. Side by side, original Starr double actions look exactly like the replicas except for the addition of Pietta literature on the copies.

We managed to get a few shots out of this one but it sucked with a mighty suction. There are a few, but not many, owners of the replicas who are happy with them and seem to have made them work. Widely repeated disappointment by end users are probably the reason these aren't made any more.
That book (books) Mykeal mentioned has a confusing history. The current one is expanded and, unlike the first two, also benefits to some extent from professional editing by skyhorse publications.

[Gaucho Gringo]

You might want to try a Rogers & Spencer revolver if are looking for something different. I have one and the only complaint I have is the trigger is a little awkward to cock.

[mec]

This Company was working on a strange Double action design - The Pettingill but it was too complicated so they switched to the Rogers and Spencer in time to miss the entire Civil War. In the early 1900s, Bannerman's bought the like- new revolvers and sold them cheap. They were extremely high quality and have been a favorite of target shooters here and in Europe. This is a replica made by EuroArms after it bought the Armi San Paulo machinery. Top quality like the Euro Arms long guns and comes in a target sighted version if you want. Dixie gunworks has carried them- the sorce of the one in the picture and there are one or two other domestic importers. The trigger pull was heavy but the hammer is hardened all the way through making it easy to reduce the full cock notch without harming the heat treat. The bore is narrow like Pietta revolvers and it is right at home with .451 balls
All though it was never issued, a hundred (?) or so were sold privately and one of those has been provinanced to a Union Soldier from MA.
Target shooters often call it the most advance and best of the percussion revolvers and this one worked very well.

[Bishop Creek]

Always wanted a Rogers & Spencer. Sure wish I could find one.

[mec]

it googles up under Euroarms of America. You could ask them Used to be available at S&S firearms but no more.
[email protected]

[Bishop Creek]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Gaucho Gringo]

My replica is so old the the bluing is turning plum color. Still very tight lockup.

[Black Powder]

Buy yourself original. In you its must be has yet enough.
Here is mine, to use him on western Cowboy Action Shooting, discipline Frontiersman.

[Bishop Creek]

What size ball do you use in that original?

[Black Powder]

I have already this here late wrote:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=427723

[skizzums]

that is an insane grip angle, or lack thereof, in the pic two posts up. is it uncomfortable at all?

[ZPowell]

Sorry for bumping an old thread but I just saw it today!
I have a pietta starr double action that I have had for a long time. I used to be in a civil war cavalry reenactment group and bought the double action probably within a year of them first coming out (whenever that was). So I have shot a lot of blanks through it and generally beat the hell out of it at reenactments and I have also shot a lot of round balls through it here at my home range. I love it. That being said it does take some getting used to and it can be finicky if you are unfamiliar with it or too lazy to get to know it.
Accuracy is about on par with the other repro revolvers out there except it didn't shoot a foot high. Mine shoots about to point of aim in single action. In double action shooting fast from the back of a running horse I can usually hit 4 out of 5 shots on a human sized target starting at about 10 yards and ending up pretty much point blank.
The double action is long and heavy (nothing like a modern DA revolver from S&W or Taurus) but it does the job once you have shot it for a while and get used to it.
Single action can be tricky and on mine it helps to pull the trigger just a little as you are thumbing back the hammer. Seems to help get the cylinder moving. This could probably be corrected by someone familiar with working on the Starr actions, but after all this time it is second nature for me and I don't even notice doing it. Also when shooting in single action I just use the spur and don't even mess with the main cocking trigger.
It would also probably help to have all of the internal parts heat treated since they don't appear to be. But again ive had mine for at least 10 years and probably more and it still works fine.
Z.

[toot44]

I have 2 of them. I don't like the double action. too many moving parts. keep trying to pull the hammer back, doesn't work!!.

[Ralphie boy]

Hello everyone, new to the forum. I recently picked up a Beautiful 1863 Starr single action revolver. Problem is it has a broken cylinder stop or what some folks call a cylinder hand. I was wondering if anyone on the forum may have an extra cylinder stop they would be willing to part with so I could put this baby back in action.
Thanks
Ralphie boy

[Bishop Creek]

Surprised to find some of my posts from nine years ago on this old thread.